Hors d'oeuvres - the latest, most interesting news

This part of our website has been prepared to extend our Railvolution news service. Its objective is to offer you snippets of the latest, most interesting news, accompanied by photos. On one hand this will let you to have a sneak preview of what the forthcoming number of Railvolution will contain. On the other, it will enable our editorial staff to provide you with information that is at their fingertips – and why waste exciting pieces of news while waiting until we have the printed version of the magazine ready for distribution? What is more, on the website pages we are in a position to publish photos for which there will be insufficient space in the printed magazine!

Please bear in mind that it is not our intention to 'digitalise' Railvolution! The printed magazine will still continue, with its full range of articles and news items. But we hope that you enjoy this new offering, and that it will stimulate your interest in our unique publication.

All RegioJet TRAXXes Delivered

10 Aug 2018 21:16

During the past few weeks RegioJet took delivery of TRAXXes 386.203 and 204. This completes the deliveries of all four machines ordered so far by the operator. Both locomotives have now made commissioning runs, these taking place, as is usual, at the VUZ Velim test circuits and on the adjacent SŽDC line. This photo, taken on 9 August, shows 386 204 at Pečky, a station on the latter line, during one of the commissioning runs.

RJ’s First TRAXXes In The Czech Republic

17 Apr 2018 08:59

On 13 April 2018 RegioJet’s first two yellow TRAXXes, 386.201 and 202, were moved from Germany via Děčín to Kolín, incorporated in a METRANS freight. They were then moved to the VUZ Velim test centre for a series of test runs on the circuits, the same day also making a test run between Kolín and Velim, as shown in the photo, taken at Velim station on 16 April.

First Of Latest Batch Of METRANS Rail TRAXXes For Delivery Soon

13 Apr 2018 17:48

On 13 April 2018 the first two TRAXXes destined for use by RegioJet were scheduled to depart from Kassel bound for the Czech Republic. Ten more TRAXXes are currently under construction for METRANs Rail. This photo shows the first of this batch, 386.031, at Kassel. It is poised to start commissioning and testing, and is scheduled to be moved to the Czech Republic by the end of May.

First TRAXXes For EP Cargo

27 Mar 2018 12:08

In December 2017 EP Cargo placed an order for two TRAXX F140 AC3 locomotives, with deliveries scheduled by the end of March. This photo taken on 23 March shows one of them, 187 085, in Bombardier’s Kassel works. The two TRAXXes are to take over haulage of trains moving REA-gypsum from the Lausitz Energie (LEAG) power stations to Stralsund for shipment to Sweden. This contract has been running now for over a year, but so far EP Cargo has had to use hired motive power.

The arrival of the TRAXXes will only mean a change in the locomotives used for these trains, nothing else. The haulage is contracted to HSL Logistik, EP Cargo making its locomotives available for the latter. EP Cargo is a subsidiary of Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH), which holds 50 % of LEAG’s shares, the other 50 % being held by PPF Investments.

RegioJet’s First TRAXXes

Bombardier’s Kassel works is now completing the first two TRAXX electric locomotives for RegioJet. The latter now anticipates their arrival in the Czech Republic early in April. They will then be subjected to commissioning and acceptance tests, and should be ready for putting into commercial service either towards the end of April or early in May. The first photo shows 386.201 on 2 March, and the second shows 386.202 on 1 March 2018, both at Kassel.

New Route For LKW Walter’s Semitrailers

11 Jan 2018 22:10

On 8 January 2018 LKW Walter started up a new rail service for moving its semitrailers. This is its second service linking the Czech Republic and Germany. While the first service links Brno and Rostock, this one links Herne in the Ruhrgebiet with AWT’s terminal at Paskov near Ostrava. AWT and ITL Eisenbahn provide through haulage using their locomotives, AWT using the TRAXXes which it recently hired from Akiem (see here). The first westbound train left Paskov on 8 January, and the first eastbound left Herne on the 10th. This photo was taken on the 11th showing the latter service near Hladké Životice, hauled by 186 351. Four train pair per week will be provided, AWT using Type T3000e articulated wagons hired from NACCO and formed into rakes of 19, resulting in trains with an overall length of 669 m, including the locomotive.

AWT Hires Two TRAXXes

04 Jan 2018 22:29

Following PSŽ (see here), AWT is another lessor of Akiem’s new TRAXX MS locomotives, which are fitted for possible use in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. AWT has hired for three years 186 351 and 353, which have now been authorised for use in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Austria. They entered the Czech Republic on 28 December 2017, reaching Ostrava, which is AWT’s base, that day.

On 4 January 2018 they were formally handed over to AWT. This photo shows them at Ostrava hl. n. One of the duties envisaged for these new TRAXXes is a new semi-trailer service for LKW Walter. This is to start up on 8 January, with four train pairs per week between Ostrava and Herne, operated in Germany by ITL Eisenbahn. Another of Akiem’s TRAXX MSes fitted for the same combination of countries is to be hired later in January for a two-year period by LTE.

First TRAXX DC3 and MS3 Born

The family of new generation TRAXXes is expanding. There are now new MS and DC versions too. The first TRAXX DC3 was built at Bombardier’s Vado Ligure factory, and was presented on 14 December 2017 (see the first photo). It will probably be designated Class E494. Meanwhile final assembly at Kassel is taking place of one of the pre-series TRAXX MS3 locomotives, in the second photo, it is seen on 13 December, while now it is ready for first activating tests.

The first orders are now coming in for these new-generation TRAXXes. These are from the Italian State-owned railfreight operator. Mercitalia Rail has ordered 40 TRAXX DC3s with an option for 20 more. TX Logistik, German subsidiary of the Mercitalia Logistics, ordered 40 TRAXX MS3s, with an option for 25 more.

Akiem Hires TRAXX MS to PSŽ

Electric TRAXXes from Akiem’s June 2016 order include five MS machines equipped for use in central and eastern European countries. The first to be handed over and put into service was 186 352, shown in the first one photo, taken in Krippen, between Bad Schandau and the Czech border, on 21 October 2017. It is coupled behind CZ Logistics’ 741.516 and forms part of a convoy also incorporating Israeli Railways’ 3001 (a TRAXX P160 AC3) and Unipetrol Doprava’s Vectron 383.050 (see next Hors report). All apart from the TRAXX MS, bound for Hungary, were destined for the VUZ Velim test base. Following a commissioning run on 24 October, 186 352 was put in service in Hungary by its lessor, PSŽ.
The second photo, taken on 27 October 2017 in Kassel, shows 186 351, therefore the other one from the batch of five.

First Class 345 Aventra EMU Starts Testing

30 Jul 2016 20:04

On 29 July 2016 the first of the Class 345 Aventra EMUs being built for Transport for London’s east-to-west Crossrail line (now known as the Elizabeth Line) in London was presented on the test track at Bombardier’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby. These trains are expected to enter service in May 2017, initially on the eastern section of the new line, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.